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There is at least one element that the LSAT, this page's content, and your life have in common: They are each composed almost entirely of arguments (doubly true if you have friends or are married). To celebrate/lament this joyous/mournful revelation, let's take a brief and comprehensive course in what an argument is and what its major parts are.

Ready?

Fight!

An argument, according to Merriam Webster definition 3 b, is:

"a coherent series of statements leading from a premise to a conclusion."

However, you should add to this definition that there will almost always be an unstated premise in an argument; that unstated premise is called the assumption.

Let's just examine what a Premise, a Conclusion, and an Assumption are. (Also, these fancy schmancy words will be capitalized from here on out.)

A Premise is, most simply, a stated piece of evidence. The Conclusion is the argument's goal, and the Assumption is the unstated, invisible thing on which the argument depends. Here's an example:

Mr. Kent jumped from an airplane at 30,000 feet. However, Mr. Kent was not wearing a parachute or any other gear that might slow his fall before he jumped. Therefore, Mr. Kent will hit the ground at a very fast speed and die.

The argument's Premise(s) is: Mr. Kent jumped from an airplane at 30,000 feet. However, Mr. Kent was not wearing a parachute or any other gear that might slow his fall before he jumped.

The argument's Conclusion is: Therefore, Mr. Kent will hit the ground at a very fast speed and die.

The argument's Assumption is something along these lines: Mr. Kent is neither Superman nor any flying animal, nor does he have access to anything that might help him fly, bounce, or otherwise survive the 30,000 foot drop.

You should notice that because the Assumption is there and (assumed to be) true, the Conclusion can follow. However, if it turns out that Mr. Kent is Superman, a sparrow, or he's actually some hyper-elastic humanoid, then the Conclusion is worthless and the Premise, no matter how factual, adds nothing to the truth of the now-worthless Conclusion.

So, in visual terms, an argument looks like this:

Premise(s) + Assumption = Conclusion

Congratulations, in 363 words you've learned what an argument is, what its parts are, and how they function. Now go forth and deconstruct!

P.S. Caveat LSATus et Zenus discipuli! It is generally poor form to practice this type of argument analysis outside the LSAT or your meditative practice. Not becuase it isn't helpful, but because it tends to ostracize your friends. Sometimes, to maintain the bonds of friendship and marital peace, you need to assume the Assumption is true. Save the dialectic scalpel for the zafu and exam.